Otherworld: A Son of Two Realms

Chapter 75: "An Act of Treason"

All through the night, they spoke of battle plans and strategy. Jack and Marcus rehearsed exactly what needed to be said and done for the plan to work. Then, gradually, the began swapping memories, good and bad.

Using his limited magic, Marcus transported them to a clearing in the Rockies. It wasn't a perfect illusion. The setting sun warmed Jack's face and unseen birds exchanged excited chatter, but his prison cell's stale odor hung in the air. Still, it was a pretty view.

"Do you know where we are?" Marcus said, sitting on an imaginary boulder.

Jack scrutinized the landmarks; peaks, rivers, breaks in the forest where roads cut through the wilderness. "Near Spencer Heights?" He pointed to a nearby mountain. "Isn't that Cameron Peak?" Marcus did a double take and Jack grinned. "I got really into camping after everything happened."

Marcus just laughed and shook his head. "This is where we arrived."

The clearing wasn't anything spectacular, just an empty patch of ground. But twenty years earlier, it had been the site of one of history's greatest unknown events.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Marcus said, walking around the clearing. "I was terrified. When we charged Kurzon's army at the Red River, I'd been afraid, of course, but there had been the adrenaline of battle. Plus, ten thousand soldiers behind me. But here, we arrived to silence. Nothing's more terrifying than unknown silence."

"I understand completely. I felt that when I woke up in Saunder's cabin."

"Who knew we had so much in common?"

Jack laughed. "I hadn't thought of it that way." A hawk screeched and flew overhead. "If I make it back to Earth, will this still work?"

"I doubt it. The pen needs magic."

"I can't use batteries?"

Marcus smirked at the terrible joke. "I left you this pen so you would know the truth at the right time. And now you know."

"But..." Jack knew the next words would sound ridiculous but he still said them. "You just came back. I don't want you to leave again."

Marcus looked at his son with kind sympathy. "But I already have." Before Jack could say anything else, Marcus looked around like he'd heard something. "Someone's coming. The pen only works if you're alone."

"I need more time," Jack said, his heart suddenly racing.

"You know what has to happen. Only you can open–" He vanished. The clearing vanished. The world went dark for a split second. Then, Jack was staring at the stone ceiling.

A shard of white light split the air next to the bed, a blast of cool air, and a figure emerged, silhouetted by the light. Then the portal closed and the figure approached the bed. But it wasn't Talon.

"I never believed you were our savior," Alba whispered, holding Talon's blade in her hand, its tip pointing at Jack. "And I don't believe you're willing to give your life now. Talon is nothing but a liar."

Jack watched her fingers flex around the blade's leather grip. But then Alba slipped the blade into her boot and unfastened the longsword scabbard around her waist. Jack recognized the hilt immediately. "But Archer believe in you. For his sake, I owe you this much." She held out Brigand's Bane.

"What are you doing?" Jack said, taking the scabbard and tying it around his pants. It felt good to have the familiar weight at his side again.

"Resisting," Alba said. "Cera will never barter with us, nor would he ever accept us back into the realm. Talon will hand you over and the royal army will still sack the island. At least this way, Talon won't be able to pin this failure on you."